Hercules Review
If you can smell what Hercules is cooking, it would be stinky. Aloha friends Brandon here again to talk about Hercules another summer blockbuster that thinks people will see anything because it has a popular actor and recognisable character. If you can't already tell I am not the biggest fan of this movie, but I am not completely ready to condemn it to Hades. Let us get into this and see if we can get a small diamond from the rough.
The movie is about the legend of Hercules, but not how he became a legend more or less after he is famous and is going to help out one of the smallest cities with the largest armies. This movie is not what the trailers show you, yes that is right trailers lie. Unlike Clash of the Titans where the mythical creatures exist and the hero must fight against them. They show how the myth of Hercules became to be; which in its own right could be pretty damn cool. But it's not just big ass Hercules, he also has best friend who is the comic relief, and greedy. Oh and the badass woman who is excellent with a bow. Alright what is next on the checklist? Oh the silent fighter who has a past we get a little information on. Check. The last two are the wise old man with a stick, and the goofy kid that just wants to be like the hero. I think we nail the cliche team from hell. The story is about how this team of ragged badasses must take on a army that is invading a peaceful land. So "original" I know. The problem with this movie and its plot is that it feels rushed. It is like someone trying to tell you a interesting story, but feels like you are getting bored so they skip all the little shit that make the story whole, and skip right to the important stuff. It is Hercules for Dummies. They have some humor and twist that are just lame. When you get to the end you just think, "that was the legend of Hercules?" . Call me a nerd but I would've much rather seen him fighting the creatures over dudes in skirts.
The casting is alright no one really sticks out in their role in this movie. Dwayne Johnson is Hercules. Who could've been casted better than him to play a big ass warrior? He would've been perfect if they didn't make him into your traditional badass whose motives are so predictable you don't care what they do. The biggest problem I have with this character is they constantly jump back and forth between him essentially having super strength and him being only human. He is literally punching guys 20 feet across a battlefield. Ian Mcshane is his old man fighter known as Amphiaraus. He is funny in this role I dug his character, the entire movie he is predicting different ways he will die. I would've rather watched a movie on this guy then one note Hercules. I bet you can guess who John Hurt is playing. If you said, old man who is the reason why the protagonist does what he does, you'd be mostly right.
The director is everyone's favorite X-men director Brett Ratner. It is funny when I saw his name appear on the screen I immediately thought, "oh it is going to be one of those kind of movies." I hate to get on Brett Ratner like this he seems to try at times, but the dude has a problem with pacing. X-men Last Stand felt rushed, it had the whole skip the important details problem, and if fucked the trilogy. This movie has a same problem where I feel like I didn't get to know the characters or much about the conflict in order to be remotely invested in it. If he wanted to make a visuals movie he should've up the action, because the action has no wow moments, or even different techniques. This feels greatly uninspired like a lot of his work. It is sad when I like more Brett Ratner produced movies over his directed ones.
In the end this movie is not worth seeing in theaters; even at matinee prices. If you are really curious on it wait, just wait for it to come out on DVD, and Redbox it. At least with a Redbox you are out a dollar versus ten. I give this generic ass movie 1.5/5. It wasn't the worst thing ever, and I didn't leave the theater all angry, but it was disappointing for a movie that I wasn't even excited for. Until next time I have one question. Can we get a movie about Hercules that is good, and not made by Disney.
The movie is about the legend of Hercules, but not how he became a legend more or less after he is famous and is going to help out one of the smallest cities with the largest armies. This movie is not what the trailers show you, yes that is right trailers lie. Unlike Clash of the Titans where the mythical creatures exist and the hero must fight against them. They show how the myth of Hercules became to be; which in its own right could be pretty damn cool. But it's not just big ass Hercules, he also has best friend who is the comic relief, and greedy. Oh and the badass woman who is excellent with a bow. Alright what is next on the checklist? Oh the silent fighter who has a past we get a little information on. Check. The last two are the wise old man with a stick, and the goofy kid that just wants to be like the hero. I think we nail the cliche team from hell. The story is about how this team of ragged badasses must take on a army that is invading a peaceful land. So "original" I know. The problem with this movie and its plot is that it feels rushed. It is like someone trying to tell you a interesting story, but feels like you are getting bored so they skip all the little shit that make the story whole, and skip right to the important stuff. It is Hercules for Dummies. They have some humor and twist that are just lame. When you get to the end you just think, "that was the legend of Hercules?" . Call me a nerd but I would've much rather seen him fighting the creatures over dudes in skirts.
The casting is alright no one really sticks out in their role in this movie. Dwayne Johnson is Hercules. Who could've been casted better than him to play a big ass warrior? He would've been perfect if they didn't make him into your traditional badass whose motives are so predictable you don't care what they do. The biggest problem I have with this character is they constantly jump back and forth between him essentially having super strength and him being only human. He is literally punching guys 20 feet across a battlefield. Ian Mcshane is his old man fighter known as Amphiaraus. He is funny in this role I dug his character, the entire movie he is predicting different ways he will die. I would've rather watched a movie on this guy then one note Hercules. I bet you can guess who John Hurt is playing. If you said, old man who is the reason why the protagonist does what he does, you'd be mostly right.
The director is everyone's favorite X-men director Brett Ratner. It is funny when I saw his name appear on the screen I immediately thought, "oh it is going to be one of those kind of movies." I hate to get on Brett Ratner like this he seems to try at times, but the dude has a problem with pacing. X-men Last Stand felt rushed, it had the whole skip the important details problem, and if fucked the trilogy. This movie has a same problem where I feel like I didn't get to know the characters or much about the conflict in order to be remotely invested in it. If he wanted to make a visuals movie he should've up the action, because the action has no wow moments, or even different techniques. This feels greatly uninspired like a lot of his work. It is sad when I like more Brett Ratner produced movies over his directed ones.
In the end this movie is not worth seeing in theaters; even at matinee prices. If you are really curious on it wait, just wait for it to come out on DVD, and Redbox it. At least with a Redbox you are out a dollar versus ten. I give this generic ass movie 1.5/5. It wasn't the worst thing ever, and I didn't leave the theater all angry, but it was disappointing for a movie that I wasn't even excited for. Until next time I have one question. Can we get a movie about Hercules that is good, and not made by Disney.